Noting But A Friend
by inzayn41D
Summary: Jason Grace has finally got a new lease on life. A new home, a stable relationship, coupled with the fact that the world is no longer facing any impending doom. Transitioning to a life at Camp Half Blood had never been easy. But trying to keep memories from his old life at Camp Jupiter from resurfacing proved to be much harder.


**Summary: Jason Grace has finally got a new lease on life. A new home, a stable relationship, coupled with the fact that the world is no longer facing any impending doom. Transitioning to a life at Camp Half Blood had never been easy. But trying to keep memories from his old life at Camp Jupiter from resurfacing proved to be much harder.**

I do not own PJO/HOO or any of the characters. RR does.

Even though he pretended not to take notice, Jason could see Reyna's bright and toothy smile from across the campers pavilion, her two tiny dimples making an appearance on both sides of her face.

In all honestly he had forgotten if she even had any dimples, lately Reyna never smiled. Sitting across the table from her was a handsome veteran, '_What was his name again,' _he thought. '_Was it Mark? Justin, Seneca—no it was Julian.' _He could vaguely remember the pictures of retired legionnaires plastered on the Principia walls. If he remembered correctly, Julian was one of them.

"Looks like somebody's finally in a good mood," Percy nudged him in the direction of Reyna.

"Yeah," he mumbled, quickly taking a sip of his diet coke.

"She looks so relaxed," Annabeth added, "Usually she's so... cautious around people."

The rest of his group of friends nodded in agreement.

Jason set his drink back on to the picnic table, scowling at each one of his friends, "Reyna's not always like that," he tried to convince them but it seemed to have little avail, "She's actually a very warm hearted person, Reyna would do anything to protect her home and the ones she cares about."

Next to him, Piper was quietly swaying the juice in her glass. Although Jason was extremely careful in not bringing up Reyna, at times like this he'd want to slap himself for slipping up. Thankfully Piper looked as if she was too preoccupied to care.

"Pipes?," he asked as he slid his hand on to hers. "Do you mind if I go catch up with some old friends?"

"Sure," Piper said calmly, although he could sense the unease in her voice. "Just come back soon, okay?," She smiled up at him coyly.

"Don't worry Pipes," He replied a little too quickly. "I won't be gone for too long."

With that, Jason left behind Piper and the rest of the gang, weaving his way through rowdy campers, with no particular person he wanted to talk to in mind. Honestly all he wanted to do was catch up with a random Roman legionnaire, hopefully it would one of his old friends who he comes across first.

He had noticed that Reyna and Julian had deserted their spot in the mesh hall and opted for a more quieter spot by the Big House. '_Smart choice,'_ Jason thought begrudgingly. Not too far from the rest of campers for anyone to think something was going on, yet far enough for the both of them to have a little privacy.

He was confused as to why he was heading there right now. Wasn't it just a few weeks ago he avoided anything and everything associated with Reyna?

As soon as he reached the steps to the porch he was met with Reyna's icy stare.

Momentarily, he was at a loss of words.

Luckily for him, Julian risen off the stairs to greet him.

"Praetor Jason," Julian beamed before wrinkling his brows, "I'm sorry that would be incorrect, considering you resigned, right?"

Jason pretended as if he hadn't heard Julian's jab at him, "Senator Julian," he said politely, "I hadn't expected you being here."

"I hadn't expected myself coming here as well," He laughed, "Greeks and Romans all feasting together, a tragedy in the making."

"Well if you feel that way, why would you, a respectable veteran come to a place like this?," Jason said with a clipped voice. This guy was really starting to get the better of him.

"Well..," Julian started, rubbing the stubble on his chin. "A number of reasons, actually. Out of diplomacy mostly, also I couldn't leave Reyna here all alone."

At that, Reyna scoffed from beside him.

Jason couldn't help but agree with her more, if he knew anything from the years he and Reyna spent together as partners, he knew that she didn't need anyone's protection, she was more than well off by herself.

Noticing the tense yet all the more awkward situation, Jason excused himself from the two and silently walked back towards the picnic tables.

Being in such close proximity of Reyna had awoken a whirlwind emotions within him. Emotions he sought to keep suppressed. During the quest across Mare Nostrum and back, he had forced himself to believe he and Reyna were nothing but friends, comrades who just happened to command a legion together, nothing but his first chance at a real friend; one who didn't idolize him.

It was simple enough, replace all his memories of Reyna with fresher ones of Piper. Plastering Piper's face one his cabin wall so he could wake up with the sight of her every morning, just little things like that. For awhile it seemed to have been working, he even managed to fool himself as well.

_Reyna's nothing but an old friend_, he chided himself mentally. _Was it not that long ago that you wanted to forsake your old life at Camp Jupiter in order to start anew._

Reyna was a representation of his old life; Responsibility, leadership, obligations, duties he could never fulfil.

Piper, however, represented everything he wanted out of life; Rebirth, self expression, freedom.

At Camp Jupiter he was confined to boundaries and rigid social constructs. It was all black and white, with no shades in between.

_Reyna is nothing but a friend to me_, he chanted frantically within his mind. He could repeat that one sentence until his words echoed from the earth to the heavens, but he knew it would fall upon death ears. Were others foolish enough to bring themselves to believe in something he could no longer believe in himself?


End file.
